As some of you may have read in my prior post HERE I was able to finally get a junkyard tranny and install it with a new (reman) converter in my '91 Formie. Well now that everything is in and it has a new filter/fluid, I started it up today. Unfortunately it didnt work. The motor runs fine and revs ok (albeit with a small amount of vibration I didn't feel before)...but placing the car into gear results in - nothing - no movement of the car. Reving the car in gear = nothing.

The only thing I'm hoping may be the culprit would be an incorrectly installed torque converter. I pushed it onto the tranny while it was out of the car, and turned it until it appeared to be all the way on. Perhaps in mounting it to the flywheel it came out too far??? I dunno what else to think other than the junkyard tranny is ... well... junk.

What might I check first to determine which it is?

I think I'm gonna go cry.

did you reinstall the torque converter bolts? If not thats it. Either that or the driveshaft is out.

LOL check that...if those are bolted up then the trans is junk.

Did you check the fluid level again after you tried to run it? If the tranny was totally dry (drained) when you got it you may need more fluid than the normal 4 or 5 quarts. When I got my new trans it took about 11 quarts to get it to the correct level.

IROCZZ3 most likely hit the nail on the head, I remember the first time I had replaced a torque convertor with a brand new one and did a trans service to a 700R4. I could not believe that it took so much fluid. I cant remember the exact amount but I think it was at least double the amout that a service manual said for the fluid capacity.
I hope the trans is good and this is your problem.
Good luck!

I checked the fluid level level prior to running, and during. It had been low to begin with but I added an additional 2.5 qts to the 4 I previously added (converter was full when installed). It seemed to be at a good level. I did reinstall the converter to flwheel bolts (lol) and the driveshaft is in there too. With the inspection cover missing from the tranny, I can clearly see the flywheel and torque converter spinning while the car is running.

What I dont understand is... when I installed the torque converter on the input shaft of the tranny, you have to push it on, then turn it, then push it on some more. Is there something that it's supposed to 'engage' and pull out with it as you move it toward the flywheel to bolt it up? I really am ignorant on automatic trannies and am hoping that someone can explain this to me.



I'll recheck the fluid levels, to make sure I haven't missed anything.

This is what I'm afraid of. A whole weekend on removing/reinstalling for nothin' !!!

I dunno, but I'm getting depressed with this string of 'bad luck' on my 3rd gen and am fighting the urge to sell the b*tch!!!